Nevile and Hannah Hogsmeade
by nut-tree
Summary: A few years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Neville and Hannah enjoy an eventful trip to Hogsmeade


Author's note: another oneshot that sort of goes with my longer story: "Neville and Hannah", but I think I've done it so you can read it independently, sorry for grammar mistakes, this one was done in a bit of a rush and I'm aware it's quite "talky"… all characters and setting belong to JKR!  
>*******<p>

It was a Hogsmeade weekend, that much was obvious. The normally relatively tranquil little town was bustling and alive under its cover of deep snow; shop windows were steamy and glowing cosily from within, there were a variety of lopsided snowmen built randomly on the street-side and everywhere there were children and teenagers wrapped up in scarves and knitted jumpers. With all this kerfuffle, nobody noticed two figures appear suddenly out of thin air in the centre of the high street. And after all, why did it matter? There were always people apperateing into Hogsmeade, except these were not quite normal visitors.

"I've told you a thousand times Neville!" said the girl, wrenching her hand away from his and bringing a light pink flush to her face. "It doesn't matter to me what you do as long as you're happy! And I really don't think you are!"

"Well what else am I mean to do Han?" The young man was tall with light brown hair and his voice was much calmer than his girlfriend's. "Harry's offered me a job and its good money and-and I think it's what my parents would have wanted…"

Hannah's expression softened slightly.

"Is this what all this Auror stuff has been about? You want to do what they did?" A tendril of fair hair escaped from her woolly hat and she moved a little towards him in a gesture of tenderness.

Neville shrugged, although a little involuntary smile lit up his face as he remembered that this was just why he loved Hannah so much.

"Because that's all very …very noble and all, but remember that awful year- remember how we used to just sit together and wish there wasn't any more fighting going on, that we didn't have to be like-like soldiers. and I knew really you wanted that, I saw it in your eyes, and now you're just running off to fight again…" She closed her eyes wearily "It-it's not like you Neville…"

He smiled again, but a little sadly this time. "I'm sorry…for, not explaining things properly before, I mean, and seeming so…yeah. But the thing is, you've got the pub, and everyone knows old Tom basically thinks of you as his daughter. And Luna's got all her traveling, and Hermione was always going to work out a way of helping people _and_ bossing them about wasn't she?" a flicker of amusement ran over both their faces and Hannah nodded once. "…but the only thing I've ever really wanted to do is herbology, and apart from shop work there isn't really anything in that… and if I went to work with Harry and Ron then I'd at least being doing something that really, properly matters wouldn't I? And then there's, there's Mum and Dad" His voice caught a little "And maybe if I took it we could afford a house or something… soon."

It was Hannah's time to smile sadly now. "Well, they are all good reasons, Nev. But that's not really the issue is it? Is this going to make you happy? Because if it is I'll just shut up and I'm sure everything will turn out ok, but if not then you should look for something better, and I swear I'll help you if it takes years…my salary's enough for now."

Neville considered. "It won't, no. but all the stuff that'd come out of it would make me happy and I think I might be good at it…and anyway, it's just for now."

Hannah sighed "Ok, it's your choice...But will you please promise me it is "just for now"? "

Neville grinned "Promise" He suddenly seemed to become aware of just where they were and how intense a conversation they'd just been having and chuckled. "Now come here, you." He held out his arms and Hannah flung herself into them immediately, burrowing into his chest and feeling so relieved and safe. Neville stroked her hair absently and they stood there for a while together, in sanctuary.

"S'cuse me!" Neville felt someone plucking at his sleeve and looked down, breaking apart from Hannah hastily. A boy of about 12 stood there, wearing Hogwarts robes much too big for him and staring at Neville with his mouth hanging open.

"Er, what?" He felt his face flushing, but tried to look cool and unconcerned, something that had never been his strong point.

"You're Neville Longbottom aren't you? That one who's got a picture in our common room?"

Hannah started giggling unhelpfully and Neville felt himself blush even darker.

"No, no I'm not, sorry, think there's probably been some kind of mistake-"

"It is him!" a girl came forward from a little group standing not far away and started to shout excitedly, "That one with the sword! The one who sliced off the snake's head- THWACK!"

"No-I-I" a bigger group was starting to gather around them and Neville felt a mounting panic, now even some of the residents were coming to see what was going on. He grabbed for Hannah's hand and tried to start pushing through the knot of , but although they cleared a path for them they still followed behind them, nudging each other, the children shouting out questions.  
>"Could you really have been the chosen one?"<br>"Is it true you were best of friends with The Boy who lived?"  
>"And you sprayed all that graffiti on the castle walls?"<br>"And you faced…_him_"

"And the snake! Is the snake really true?"

"And what are you doing with _her_, where's Luna Lovegood?"  
>He was just on the edge of turning around but Hannah beat him to it, spinning around to face the crowd in one, swift movement. There were several squeals of discomfort as the people at the back of the gaggle walked into the ones in front. Just a few seconds ago Hannah had been trying very hard not to laugh, he had seen this as he tried to steer her away, and yet now her face was calmly pleasant and only the slight shake in her voice betrayed how nervous she was talking in front of so many people.<br>"Erm, excuse me, but we're just trying to pick up some things and , although I'm sure you're all lovely people, talking to you really isn't first on our agenda right now, and following us is actually a little bit rude, could you please just go back doing whatever you were doing before you saw us? Thank you."  
>Some of the crowd seemed to disperse, shrugging at their neighbours and wandering back to the shops but the first boy called back:<br>"Who are you?"

Hannah raised her eyebrows and her tone cooled  
>"Hannah Emily Abbott, born 3rd of March 1980, girlfriend of 4 years. Now if you'd excuse us…" She turned on her heels and walked back to where Neville stood agog, self-consciously adjusting her shoulder bag. He seemed temporarily unable to speak and she laughed, slightly embarrassed now all the fight had gone out of her, and took his hand.<p>

"What…" he said, after some minutes, "was that?"

Hannah grinned in a way that reminded Neville of Hermione, that second DA meeting.

"I really have no idea! I didn't like them coming after you like that and it just kind of ... came out…I didn't embarrass you or anything did I?"  
>He nudged her to look at him and said very seriously.<p>

"Miss Abbott, you were incredible. Are incredible"

She bit her lip and looked away, smiling. "Oh shush."

Neville laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist "I do love you Hannah."

"I Love you too" she whispered, a little grudgingly but sincerely.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, during which minuscule white flakes began to fall once more from the iron sky.

"Neville…" Hannah began again, turning to him with a mischievous glint in her eye "erm…is there actually a picture of you in the Gryffindor common room?"

He shuffled uncomfortably and suddenly became very interested in the laces of his shoes.  
>"Neville?"<br>"Well…sort of, I mean it's not just me it's all of us, the DA, only I'm sort of at the front…"

Hannah raised her eyebrows, amused. "And you never mentioned this because…?"  
>Neville sighed. "It was all a bit embarrassing, to tell you the truth, McGonagall just showed it to me last time I went up to the school to see professor Sprout, and there were…kids around and they shouted stuff… I needed my heroic protector." He gave her a squeeze.<p>

"You should have said…" Hannah started but she trailed off, looking worriedly at a sky that was visibly darkening.

"3 broomsticks?" Asked Neville and, although they had so far got absolutely no shopping done, Hannah agreed, pulling his cloak so that it partially covered both of them as they walked together towards the steamy little pub.


End file.
